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COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION BULLETIN 
ERITREA 
‘Evangelicals’: Unregistered Christian Churches 
JULY 2006 
Eritrea 02/2006 
RDS-IND 
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
 This Country of Origin Information Bullet in contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 June 2006.  
Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
ii
Contents  
 
   Paragraphs 
    
1. INTRODUCTION  1.01 
    
2. OVERVIEW  2.01 
    
3. GOVERNMENT ACTION  3.01 
 R EGISTRATION SCHEME  3.01 
 A RRESTS  3.05 
    
4. OTHER RELIGIOUS GROUPINGS  4.01 
 B ANNED RELIGIOUS GROUPINGS OTHER THAN EVANGELICALS  4.01 
    
5. ‘E VANGELICALS’ CHURCHES  5.01 
 GENERAL INFORMATION  5.01 
 KNOWN GROUPS  5.05 
 Church of the Living God   
 Dubre Bethel Church   
 Faith of Christ Church   
 Hallelujah Pentecostal Church   
 Kale Hiwot (Word of Life)   
 Mensfesawyan   
 Meserete Kristos (Christ is the Foundation)   
 Mulu Wengel / Mullu Wongel (Full Gospel)    
 New Covenant Church   
 Philadelphia Church   
 Rema  / Rhema Church   
    
 ANNEX A LIST OF SOURCE MATERIAL   
    
    
    
  
 
   
 
              
 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
 This Country of Origin Information Bullet in contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 June 2006.  
Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
1
 
1 Introduction 
 
1.01 This Country of Origin Information Bulletin  (COI Bulletin) provides a brief overview of 
the treatment of people belonging or suspect ed of belonging to protestant unregistered 
churches (known as ‘Evangelicals’ occasionally ‘Pentes’) in Eritrea. It should be read in 
conjunction with the Eritrea Country of Origin Information Report (COI Report). 
 
1.02 This COI Bulletin has been prepared by t he Country of Origin information Service of 
Research Development and Statistics (RDS), Home Office, for use by those involved in 
the asylum / human rights determination process. It has been compiled from information 
obtained from a variety of recognised exter nal sources and does not contain any Home 
Office opinion or policy. The Bulletin is not exhaustive: it concentrates on reports 
considered to be relevant to those involved in the asylum/human rights determination 
process, and on Eritrean Evangelicals, as raised within the United Kingdom asylum 
system. 
 
1.03 The COI Bulletin is sourced throughout. It is intended to be a signpost to the source 
material, which has been made available to decision makers. The majority of the source 
material is readily available in the public domain. Where sources identified in the 
Bulletin are available in electronic form t he relevant link has been included, together 
with the date that it was accessed. Paper copies of the sources have been distributed to 
nominated officers in Asylum Caseworking Directorate and Presenting Officer Units. 
 
1.04 This COI Bulletin and the accompanying s ource material are publically disclosable.  
 
Back to Contents 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
 This Country of Origin Information Bullet in contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 June 2006.  
Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
2
2 Overview 
 
2.01 The religious demography of Eritrea is of an approximate half-and-half split between 
Christian groups living mainly in the highl and areas, and Muslim groups living around 
the coast. (Europa, USSD) The Christian popul ation is predominantly of the Eritrean 
Orthodox Church. (USSD) The Eritrean Orthodox Church is not a state church, but is an 
institution that the Government accords much respect (though reform movements within 
the church such as Medhane Alem are viewed with suspicion). (USIRF) There are two 
other main Christian groups – the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Church 
(Lutheran) – that are accepted by the Government. (Europa, USSD, USIRF) Besides 
the accepted Christian denominations are other Christian groupings (as well as minority 
non-Christian groupings) that are not accepted,  and not tolerated, by the Government 
(USSD, USIRF); and this Bulletin concentrates on those unaccepted Christian groups.  
 
2.02 Amnesty International’s summary in the December 2005 report adds numerical detail:  
 
“Eritrea has a highly religious population, with some 98% of its 3.7 million people 
belonging to a long - established branch of a major world religion.  Most Eritreans 
actively practice their faith...  Of the other Christian denominations [than the Orthodox 
Church] … about 2% are Protestants, of w hom about half belong to a Lutheran church, 
and about half to smaller religious movements, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and at 
least 36 evangelical and Pentecostal churches …  All religions in Eritrea are nationally 
organized faiths.  Some are affiliated to national bodies”.  [2a](p3) 
     
2.03 The contents of this Bulletin in summary: 
 
• The Eritrean Government has regulated religious groups through a registration 
scheme since 2002 (Section 3 – Registration Scheme). 
• The Government has arrested member s of unregistered groups since 2002 
(Section 3 – Arrests).  
• Groups of unregistered organisations that  have been targeted by the Government 
since 2002 include Jehovah’s Witnesses (Section 4 – Banned religious groupings 
other than Evangelicals)  but especially  evangelical, Pentecostal, and charismatic 
Protestant Christian churches known as  ‘Evangelicals’ (occ asionally ‘Pentes’) 
(Section 5 – General information).  
  
2.04 Though a number of reports (UNHCR) [14a] use the term ‘Pentes’, some reports, such 
as the Human Rights Without Frontiers report that collates 2003 postings (HRWF 2003) 
[7a]  and  the Amnesty International report “E ritrea religious persecution” published 7 
December 2005 (AI December 2005 report) [2a] consider the term “Pentes” pejorative. 
The collective term ‘Evangelicals’ is used by most other reports, such as the postings of 
Release-Eritrea (Release-Eritrea) [8a-f] and in the plural, not adjectivally, to distinguish 
the term from ‘churches that are (generally) evangelical’. 
  
2.05  There are few sources outlining informat ion about the Evangelicals churches beyond 
accounts of arrests and other incidents. However specific churches are named in 
accounts (Section 5 – Known groups); so me general estimates given of numbers 
(Section 5 – General information); and a little information exists regarding belief and 
practice (Section 5 – Known groups). 
  
Back to Contents 
 
 
 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
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Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
3
3 Government Action 
 
REGISTRATION SCHEME 
 
3.01 The UNHCR position paper of January 2004 (confirmed by UNHCR in August 2005 to 
still be their position, and repeated by AI in  the December 2005 report) summarises the 
ban and initial period of the government action, citing the USSD for 2002 and AI reports 
for 2003:- 
 
“In May 2002, the government reportedly ordered several minority churches, referred 
collectively as the ‘Pentes’ (including Born Again Christians, Pentecostals, Full Gospel 
and other small protestant groups) to close down. They were required to register with 
the new Department of Religious Affairs and receive authorization to reopen. Although 
the churches reportedly complied with the registration requirements, which included 
providing extensive details of members and funds, and were informally allowed to 
continue to worship, none of them were known to have been officially registered by 19 
September 2003.” [14a](p.5) 
 
3.02 The Proclamation on Religious Organisations no. 73/1995 is the primary piece of 
legislation for the registration (AI December 2005) [2a](p4). The information required 
under registration is listed in an annex to a Release-Eritrea posting, dated 25 June 
2005. [8b](p5-7) A registration exercise was origi nally planned in 1995, with the four 
main faith groups (Orthodox, Lutheran, Cat holic and Muslim) registered quickly, but 
other groups’ registration postponed until May 2002 (AI December 2005) [2a](p8). The 
Government had, meantime, in 1997, appro ved a Constitution which provides the 
freedom to practice any religion, though in  practice, this provision has yet to be 
implemented (United States International Religious Freedom report for 2005 - USIRF 
report for 2005) [1b](p2).  In May 2002, all unregistered religious groups were required 
to cease operation until they had been granted registration by the Government (USIRF 
report for 2005) [1b](p2); (AI December 2005) [2a](p8). This edict affected 12 
unregistered Christian churches at the time. The four recognised religious groups were 
not required to register (USIRF report for 2005). [1b](p2) 
 
3.03 Four unregistered churches have since completed registration formalities but, as of 
December 2005, were not accepted as registered by the Government. The United 
States State Department report on human ri ghts practices in countries, Eritrea, for 
2005, published 8 March 2006 (USSD report for 2005) states: 
 
“The Government approved no registrations during the period covered by this report, 
despite the fact that four religious groups fully complied with registration requirements 
over 3 years ago and continued to inquire with the concerned government offices. 
Several religious groups have complied partially with the registration requirements, and 
some have chosen not to submit any documentation. The country’s representative at 
the UN’s Commission on Human Rights state[d] on April 5 [5 April 2005] that the 
Seventh-day Adventist Church’s registration application would be ‘finalized in the near 
future.’ The Church’s application had not been approved by the end of the period 
covered by this report.”  
 
“… Authorities generally have not hindered the four groups that filled out their 
registration applications in 2002 – the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Seventh-day 
Adventist Church, the Faith Mission Church, and the Baha’I Faith – in holding home 
prayer or private study meetings, although like other unregistered groups their houses 
of worship remain closed, and they are not permitted to meet in public settings.” [1b](p2) 
  
3.04 The USIRF report for 2005 states: “The Go vernment closely monitors the activities and 
movements of unregistered religious groups and members, including nonreligious social 
functions attended by members.” [1b](p2) “Some persons reportedly cooperated with 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
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Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
4
government authorities by reporting on a nd harassing members of those groups.” 
[1b](p5) 
 
Back to Contents 
 
ARRESTS 
 
3.05 The members of unregistered churches  are subject to arrest periodically and on 
occasion by the authorities as a consequence of not being registered. Details of arrests 
are documented in the AI December 2005 report [2a]; in the HRWF for 2003 reports 
[7a]; and in the Release-Eritrea report of 25 June 2005 [8e]. The AI report December 
2005 highlights: 
 
“… 44 incidents of religious persecution which have been documented over the past 
three years [2003 – 2005] and are mainly the consequence of the government’s ban in 
2002 on the minority religious groups… The so urces for information for these arrests, 
numbering over 1,750 men, women and children altogether during this period, include 
international religious organizations monitoring the arrests and Eritrean diaspora faith 
groups, as well as Amnesty International’s own sources. Undoubtedly there have been 
many more cases not reported.” [2a](p9-10)     
 
3.06 Since the AI December 2005 report, the fo llowing arrests, detentions and incidents have 
been reported. Release International, in an undated webpage but which refers to 
September 2005, states detentions as “up to 1800 Christians” [10a](p1); the USIRF 
report for 2005 states: “Government restrictions make it difficult to determine the precise 
number of religious prisoners, but the number of long-term prisoners continues.” [1b](p3) 
 
3.07 The USIRF report for 2005 summ arises the detentions and arrests: 
 
 “During the reporting  period [2005], there we re reliable reports that authorities detained 
at least 500 members of unregistered religious groups without charges. Many were 
released after detentions of several days or less, but some spent longer periods in 
confinement without charges and without access to legal counsel.” [1b](p3) 
 
3.08 Recent reports of arrests have included  an AI Urgent Action regarding “40 pastors, 
elders, and leading laymen from five of Er itrea’s banned Protestant churches” in late 
December 2005 (Voice of the Martyrs) [3a]; 75 Evangelicals detained on 1 February 
2006 (Amnesty International) [2d];  and on 23 May 2006, 54 college students were 
arrested (Release-Eritrea). [8d] 
 
3.09 The USIRF report for 2006 adds: 
 
“Government violations of religious freedom are alleged to be particularly severe in the 
armed forces. During the war with Ethiopia, many Eritrean soldiers accepted various 
forms of Protestantism, reportedly alarming government officials and leading to the 
banning of prayer meetings among armed forces members. Attendance at such 
meetings is punishable by imprisonment. Moreover, armed forces members and 
national service inductees reportedly face severe punishment for possession of 
religious literature, including Bibles.” [5b](p95) 
 
3.10 People detained as religious prisoners of co nscience are reported to be subject to the 
same or similar abuses as other prisoners. The AI report December 2005 gives an 
account in Section 8 “Torture and ill-treatm ent of religious prisoners of conscience”. 
[2a](p17-18)  The USSD report for 2005 summarises known practices: 
 
“There were reliable reports that torture was widespread in an unknown number of 
detention facilities. In addition to psychological abuse, escapees reported the use of 
physical torture at a few prisons. Authorities suspended prisoners from trees with their 
arms tied behind their backs, a technique known as ‘almaz’ (diamond). Authorities also 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
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Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
5
placed prisoners face down with their hands tied to their feet, a torture technique known 
as the ‘helicopter.’” [1a](p2) 
 
Back to Contents 
 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
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Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
6
4 Other Religious Groupings 
 
 
BANNED RELIGIOUS GROUPINGS OTHER THAN EVANGELICALS 
 
4.01 The United States Department of Stat e International Religious Freedom Report 2005 
reported that:  
 
“The Government’s already poor record on freedom for minority religious groups 
continued to worsen during the period covered by this report.  The Government 
harassed, arrested, and detained members of Pentecostal and other independent 
evangelical groups...  There were also numerous reports of attempts to force 
recantations”.  [1b](p1) 
 
4.02 The United States Commission on Inter national Religious Freedom reported in 2005 
that:  
 
“The government of Eritrea engages in particularly severe violations of freedom of 
religion or belief.  It has banned public religious activities by all religious groups that are 
not officially recognized, closed their places of worship, inordinately delayed action on 
registration applications by religious groups, arrested participants at prayer meetings 
and other gatherings, detained members of unregistered churches and other religious 
activists indefinitely and without charge, mistreated or even tortured some religious 
detainees, and severely punished armed forces members and national service 
inductees for possession of religious literature, including Bibles... Although there is no 
state religion, the government has close ties to the Orthodox Church and is suspicious 
of newer groups – in particular, Protestant Evangelical, Pentecostal, and other Christian 
denominations not traditional to Eritrea”.  [5a] 
 
“… Relations among the four government - recognized religious communities are 
generally good. In recent years, however, Protestant Evangelical, charismatic, and 
Pentecostal churches have faced societal and government pressure. The Orthodox 
Church has publicly expressed concern about the growth of denominations it views as 
heretical, and the loss, particularly of its younger members, to them. The government 
has restricted foreign faith - based humanitarian organizations, apparently fearing the 
destabilizing effect of proselytism by outside groups, both Christian and Muslim. 
Government spokespersons have cited Pentecostals, along with extremist Islamist 
groups, as threats to national security”.  [5a] 
 
 
4.03 The BBC reported on 20 April 2006 that  the campaign group Christian Solidarity 
Worldwide had stated that ‘permitted’ churches were facing repression from the Eritrean 
Government. [13a]  The statement crystallises the fi nding of various reports from 2004 
and 2005 which have noted that Medhane Alem, a group inside the Orthodox church 
has been targeted by the Government. The USSD report for 2005 summarises: 
 
“In February [2005] the government shut down and arrested the organizers of a Sunday 
school organized by an Orthodox church group known as Medhane Alem, a group 
whose religious services the government did not approve. At year’s end [2005] the 
three organizers remained in jail. The three ministers led the Medhane Alem group and 
who were arrested in October 2004 remained imprisoned without charge at year’s end 
[2005][sic – repetition]” [1a](p6) 
 
4.04 The AI report December 2005 adds “T he Medhane Alem (‘Saviour of the World’) 
movement, a bible study group of the Er itrean Orthodox Church, centred around the 
Medhane Alem church in Asmara.” [2a](p5) The Release-Eritrea report dated 26 June 
2005 added more detail about Medhane Alem: 
 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
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7
 “In December 2004 reports began to circulate indicating that three Orthodox priests had 
been detained during the third week of November 2004. Rev. Dr Futsum Gebrenegus, 
Eritrea's only psychiatrist, Rev. Dr Tekleab Menghisteab, a highly respected physician, 
and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregiorgis, an expert  theologian, are all reported to have 
been involved in the renewal movement within the Orthodox Church, which was 
recently criticized by President Afwerk i during his Independence Day speech on May 
24. 2005. According to local sources, the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church 
objected to these arrests and ac cused the government of ‘interfering’ in church affairs. 
Following this intervention, for the first time ever the traditional Christmas message by 
the Patriarch was not aired on national media.” [8e] 
 
4.05 The Herald Express, a UK local paper, reported on 28 April 2006 that a local Torquay 
pastor had been expelled from Eritrea after arriving in Asmara with bibles for the 
Eritrean Orthodox Church, a recognised church [11a]; (also BBC report of 20 April 
2006). [13a] 
 
Back to Contents 
 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
 This Country of Origin Information Bullet in contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 June 2006.  
Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
8
5 ‘Evangelicals’ Churches 
 
GENERAL INFORMATION 
 
5.01 The term ‘Pentes’ originates in Ethiopia, and is held to be a pejorative term originating 
from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s dist rust of pentecostal churches and their 
practices (African Christianity) [12a](p2), and in African Christianity’s account, “… a 
testimony to the influence of the Pentecosta l movement on Ethiopian protestantism…”  
[12a](p2) There is information on the practices of Pentes groups in Ethiopia on the 
webpage of Jörg Haustein, a theologian specialising in the Pentecostal churches, based 
at the University of Heidelberg. [9a]  African Christianity webs ite continues that in 
Ethiopia:  
 
“The Mulu Wengel (Full Gospel) church grew out of the Heavenly Sunshine Bible study, 
begun by a group of high school students learning English and a Mennonite doctor, 
though it was also decisively influenced by the teachings of the Finnish Pentecostal 
Mission, and has never had formal connections with any western mission.  Meserete 
Kristos [another church] followed Mulu Wengel’s lead in cultivating the charismatic gifts 
of the Holy Spirit... Both Meserete Kristos and Mulu Wengel churches practice faith 
healing, exorcism of demons, and glossolalia”.  [12a](p2) 
 
5.02 There is no information that  these practices are practiced in the churches of the same 
names in Eritrea. However, information from the AI December 2005 report shows 
similar societal prejudices against evangelical churches: 
 
 “Since then [May 2002], there has been a r apid growth of evangelical churches in 
Eritrea. This has often been a source of tension between them and the three main 
Christian churches, which were losing members to them. They had different doctrines, 
forms of worship and weddings, and ‘fellows hip’ for prayer and study. They often 
proselytized (sought converts) or expressed their faith in new, ‘charismatic’ ways in 
public places, which attracted some disapproval from members of the main religious 
groups - Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran and Islam.” [2a](p8) 
 
5.03 With regards to the number of unregist ered Pentecostal and charismatic churches in 
Eritrea, Human Rights Without Frontiers stated in a 26 November 2003 report that there 
were 12 independent churches so regarded by the Government in 2002 [7a](p2); by 
2005, “at least 36 evangelical and Pentecostal churches” is the AI December 2005 
estimate. [2a](p1) 
 
5.04  Release-Eritrea notes in a 17 December 2004 posting that:  
 
 “Some of these churches [all evangelical and Pentecostal required by the Government 
to re-register their churches in May 2002] are historically linked with the worldwide 
Protestant denominations, such as the Presbyterians, Pentecostals, Baptists, 
Mennonites, Methodists.  Ot hers are indigenous churches, which are not linked to 
international Protestant denominations, in cluding the Rhema church, the Hallelujah 
church, the New Covenant church, the Philadelphia church, etc.”  [8b]   
 
Back to Contents 
KNOWN GROUPS 
 
5.05  Church of the Living God 
 Members have been named in arrest reports: Semere Zaid, an agriculture lecturer at 
the University of Asmara (AI December 2005 report) [2a](p12); and ‘Pastor Simon’ – 
“Originally from one of the Medhane Alem revi val groups within the [Eritrean] Orthodox 
Church, Pastor Simon is a minister in the Church of the Living God” (Voice of the 
Martyrs) [3a] Pastor Simon was arrested on 26 December 2005, but later reported as 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
 This Country of Origin Information Bullet in contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 June 2006.  
Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
9
having escaped from detention and was in hi ding, as of 6 January 2006 (Voice of the 
Martyrs). [3a] 
 
5.06  Dubre Bethel Church 
 No information other than the church was located in Asmara in September 2003, when 
members were arrested, and then released unharmed after several days’ detention.  (AI 
Report December 2005) [2a](p10) 
 
5.07  Faith of Christ Church 
 Arrest reports noted that members of the Fait h of Christ Church were arrested in Adi-
Kehey in December 2003 (AI Report December 2005). [2a](p10)  
 
5.08  Hallelujah Church / Hallelujah Pentecostal Church 
 Arrests reported include a March 2004 r eport of Pastor Teweldemedhin and 55 
members of the church arrested in Asmara on 12 February 2004 (Amnesty 
International) [2b].  In September 2005 after the Hallelujah and Philadelphia churches 
arranged a wedding party in Asmara, 20 people were arrested and detained for one 
month. (USSD for 2005) Pastors are included in arrest lists: Pastor Mengist 
Teweldemedhin. [1a](p6) 
 
5.09 Kale Hiwot (Word of Life)  
 The USIRF report for 2005 refers to the church as “the Kale Hiwot (Baptists)” and notes 
that it has complied with some, but not all, of the Government’s registration 
requirements. [1b](p2) The AI report December 2005 adds the church is “a long-
established Baptist church affiliated to t he SIM, formerly the Sudan Interior Mission.” 
[2a](p5) (also, African Christianity) [12a](p1). On 13 October 2005, the Operational 
headquarters of its development project we re closed down by the Government 
(Release-Eritrea) [8a] 
 
 Members named – In January 2005, Pastor Ogbamichael Haimanot of the Kale Hiwot 
church was detained in Asmara along with 115 evangelical church members (AI 
December 2005 report). [2a](p12) Twenty (other) members’ whereabouts are still 
unknown at the end of 2005 after their arrest in March 2004 (USSD for 2005)  [1a](p6) 
Amnesty International reported the release of ten members over October and 
November 2005 in an update dated 29 November 2005. [2c] 
 
Pastors mentioned in arrest reports - Pastor Isaac Mehari; Pastor Ogbamichael 
Haimanot (released January 2005 after becoming mentally ill); Pastor Issa Mekonnen 
(Release-Eritrea) [8e] 
 
5.10  Mensfesawyan  
The only mention of this church is that it was located in Barentu town in January 2005, 
and that some of its members were arrested at a wedding on 9 January 2005, along 
with Mullu Wongel (Full Gospel) church members. (AI December 2005 report) [2a](p12); 
(Awate website) [6a]; (Indian Ocean Newsletter). [4a] 
 
5.11  Meserete Kristos (Christ is the Foundation)  
 The USIRF report for 2005 refers to the church as “the Meserete Kristos (Mennonite) 
church” and notes that it has complied with  some, but not all, of the Government’s 
registration requirements. [1b](p2) AI report Dece mber 2005 adds “a ffiliated to the 
worldwide Mennonite Church, established for several decades.” [2a](p5) A key arrest 
report was reported by Amnesty International in March 2006, of 200 guests being 
detained at a Meserete Kristos wedding ceremony on 28 May 2005; most were held for 
one month’s detention, but as many as 70 were detained for longer in Serwa army 
camp. [2e](p3) 
 
5.12  Mulu Wengel / Mullu Wongel (Full Gospel)  
 The main church building complex in Gaza Banda district, Asmara was seized by the 
Government on 15 October 2003 (HRWF, 3 November 2003). [7a] The church is 

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10
described by the Release International re port as, “Eritrea’s largest Pentecostal 
denomination.” [10a] African Christianity’s account of  the church’s Ethiopian roots 
however identifies it as a breakaway M ennonite church that has “… insisted on 
maintaining its independence from western ties.” [12a](p1) 
 
 Mr. Kidane Gebremeskel; Pastor Abraham Be lay; Pastor Fanuel Mihreteab; Pastor 
Hagos Abraha; Rev. Haile Naizghe; Rev Dr. Kuflu Gebremeskel; Pastor Kidane 
Weldou; Pastor Tewelde Gebreab are all listed as arrested in June 2005 (Release-
Eritrea). [8e] Also, Pastor Hagos Toomey (AI report December 2005) [2a](p12) Further 
arrests were made in December 2005 (Voice of the Martyrs), including Pastor Jorjo 
Gebreab. [3a] 
 
5.13 New Covenant Church 
 
 Pastor Yohannes Tesfamichael has been listed as having been arrested in June 2005 
(Release-Eritrea). [8e] 
 
 
5.14   Philadelphia Church 
 Philadelphia church members were among those arrested at the September 2005 
wedding party incident in Asmara, when 20 people were arrested and detained for one 
month. (USSD for 2005) [1a](p6)  
 
 
5.15 Rema / Rhema 
Pastors of the church, from lists of arrests, include Pastor Habteab Ogbamichael; 
Pastor Tesfasion Hagos [8e]. The case of Helen Berhane is widely reported (Amnesty 
International, Release-Eritrea, USSD for 2005). A gospel singer from the Rema Church, 
Helen Behane was arrested on 13 May 2004 and is still in detention (AI December 2005 
report). [2a](p11) The Release-Eritrea posting of 25 June 2005 goes into the detail of 
Helen Behane’s detention. [8e](p3)  
 
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ERITREA JULY 2006 
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11
Annex A: List of source material 
 
 
[1]  United States of America, State Department 
a  USSD report on human rights practices in countries for 2005, Eritrea country 
report, published 8 March 2006 
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61568.htm 
 (Accessed 7 June 2006) 
b International Religious Freedom Report 2005 
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51471.htm 
 (Accessed 9 March 2006) 
 
[2] Amnesty International 
a   7 December 2006, Eritrea – Religious Persecution 
http://web.amnesty.org/library/pdf/AFR640132005ENGLISH/$File/AFR6401
305.pdf 
 (Accessed 13 December 2005)    
b 9 March 2004, Pastor Mengist Tewelde-Medhin and 55 members of the Hallelujah 
Pentecostal Christian Church, Public AI Index: AFR 64/002/2004 
http://web.amnesty.org/library/print/ENGAFR640022004 
 (Accessed 9 March 2006)  
c 29 November 2005, Further information on UA 270/05 (13 October 2005) and 
follow-up (1 November 2005) Public AI Index: AFR 64/015/2005 
 (Accessed 9 March 2006) 
d 17 February 2006, Fear of torture or ill-treatment / prisoners of conscience, 75 
evangelical Christians Public AI Index: AFR 64/001/2006 
 (Accessed 9 March 2006) 
e March 2006, The Wire, Vol.32, No. 02, Religious persecution in Eritrea 
  http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGNWS210022006?open&of=ENG-
ERI 
 (Accessed 9 June 2006)  
f 24 May 2006, Eritrea: Independence Day call for a year of urgent human rights 
improvements 
 http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR640042006?open&of=ENG-
ERI 
 (Accessed 9 June 2006) 
 
[3]  Voices Of the Martyrs (VOM) Australia 
a   5 January 2006, Eritrea: round up of leaders from five churches 
 http://www.persecution.com.au/news/article.asp?artID=%7B0C2EB47E-
F6C6-4432-B9A2-BE15E410A7ED%7D 
 (Accessed 2 June 2006)  
 
[4] Indian Ocean Newsletter 
a 22 January 2005, A plague on evangelists, (Via Lexis-Nexis) 
 (Accessed 30 May 2006) 
 
[5]  United States Commission on Intern ational Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 
a May 2005, Annual Report of the USCIRF 
http://www.uscirf.gov/countries/publications/currentreport/2005annualRpt.p
df# 
 (Accessed 1 March 2006)  
b May 2006, Annual report of the USCIRF 
http://www.uscirf.gov/countries/publications/currentreport/2006annualRpt.p
df# 
 (Accessed 7 June 2006) 
 

ERITREA JULY 2006 
 This Country of Origin Information Bullet in contains the most up-to-date publicly available information as at 1 June 2006.  
Older source material has been included where it contains relevant information not available in more recent documents. 
12
[6] Awate Website (www.awate.com) 
a 17 January 2005, Eritrean security forces reportedly arrest 62 faithful in western 
town, (via Lexis-Nexis) 
 (Accessed 30 May 2006) 
 
[7]  Human Rights Without Frontiers Inc. 
a  Collation of 2003 postings 
 http://www.hrwf.net/html/eritrea_2003.html 
 (Accessed 30 May 2006)  
 
[8] Release-Eritrea.org.uk (http://www.release-eritrea.org.uk/) 
a 13 October 2005, Hundreds of Eritrean Christians still in prison, 
 http://www.release-eritrea.org.uk/node/39 
 (Accessed 2 June 2006)  
b   17 December 2004, Religious Registration deception 
 www.release-eritrea.org.uk/node/10  
       (Accessed 15 March 2006) 
c  25 June 2005, Promoting religious freedom 
 www.release-eritrea.org.uk/node/26  
 (Accessed 15 March 2006)  
d 23 May 2006 Eritrean students imprisoned for refusing to participate in 
Independence Day celebrations 
 www.release-eritrea.org.uk/node/45  
 (Accessed 7 June 2006) 
e 25 June 2005, Christian prisoners in Eritrea 
 www.release-eritrea.org.uk/node/26  
 (Accessed 8 June 2006)  
 
[9] J Haustein 
a  10 December 2005, Pentecostal and ch arismatic movements in Ethiopia, 
http://www.glopent.net/Members/jhaustein/ethiopia/pentecostal-and-
charismatic-movements 
 (Accessed 2 June 2006)  
 
[10]  International Release: the Voice of the Persecuted Church 
a  Remember persecuted Christians in Erit rea, no date, but September 2005 given in 
article, http://www.releaseinternational.org/Take_action/98.asp 
 (Accessed 2 June 2006) 
 
[11]  Herald Express 
a 28 April 2006, Gerald imprisoned after meeting the President (Via Lexis-Nexis) 
 (Accessed 30 May 2006) 
 
[12]   African Christianity 
a No date, Ethiopian Protestantism: The ‘Pente’ churches in Ethiopia 
http://www.bethel.edu/~letnie/EthiopiaProtestantism.html 
 (Accessed 15 December 2005) 
 
[13]  BBC News 
a 7 December 2005, Eritrean crackdown on religions 
 (Accessed 12 December 2005) 
          
[14] UNHCR  
a UNHCR position on return of rejected asylum seekers to Eritrea (Via EIN 
subscription service)